The Emperor's Beloved

1

After his wife passed away, Wang, the Minister of Justice, favored his concubine-born daughter and ignored his legitimate daughter.

But it was no matter. His legitimate daughter, Xiao Wanwan, had the Emperor's protection, and her fiancé was the Crown Prince. The self-important Minister of Justice had no choice but to keep currying favor with her.

Xiao Wanwan was framed for violating feminine virtue, and her younger sister stole her fiancé, the Crown Prince.

No matter. She married the Emperor and became the Crown Prince's and her sister's empress mother. Whenever they saw her, they had to kneel three times and bow nine times.

2

Just a few days before her wedding to the Crown Prince, Xiao Wanwan was framed and accused of losing her virginity to the top courtesan's male companion at Mingya Pavilion.

She decisively wrote the Crown Prince a confession, saying, "I have no shame and have fallen short in virtue. I am unworthy of becoming the Crown Princess."

The Crown Prince: "..."

The Crown Prince: Actually, with a face like hers, it might not be so bad.

She never imagined that after winning over the Crown Prince, the most serious consequences would come from her father and stepmother.

For the sake of family honor, prospects, and profit, they removed her name from the family register and even forced her to take her own life.

But a year later, Xiao Wanwan inherited her maternal family's title, became history's first woman prince, head of the thousand-year-old Xiao clan, and representative of every noble family in Great Wei.

The Minister of Justice, Wang, hurried over to claim kinship, while the Crown Prince held a grand banquet to reconcile with her...

3

Xiao Wanwan acts as she pleases, flouts all rules, and often gets herself into trouble.

Emperor Chu Mu is wise and mighty, strict with himself, and meticulous and calm in his conduct. The people call him a sage ruler.

But whenever Xiao Wanwan is involved, the Emperor loses his composure.

Whatever Xiao Wanwan does, the Emperor supports her, indulges her, covers for her, gives her a thumbs-up, and cleans up after her.

The civil and military officials' daily triple prayer: May Xiao Wanwan die! May Xiao Wanwan lose the Emperor's favor! May Xiao Wanwan disappear!

But in the end, Xiao Wanwan became Empress. Every day, she accompanied the Emperor to and from court, paraded around in front of them, and looked down on them with contempt.

The civil and military officials: Don't ask. Just know our blood pressure is soaring and we're having heart attacks.

4

The Great Wei dynasty advocates frugality. The Emperor usually wears coarse cloth robes that cost less than one tael of silver.

The censor: "I impeach Xiao Wanwan for extravagance and waste. She spent 300,000 taels of silver building a cockfighting arena on East Street."

The Emperor: "Wanwan sympathizes with the people, whose lives are dull and monotonous. She built a place for them to relax and have fun. This is truly a kind deed. Reward her with 500,000 taels of silver."

The censor: "..."

Note:

1. A satisfying, sweet story, with no angst at all.

2. No inner-family scheming. Her father, stepmother, and younger sister are nowhere near the female lead's level. She crushes them effortlessly.

3. At the start of the story, the male lead is 31, the female lead is 21, and the Crown Prince is 16. The female lead remained unmarried so long because she was waiting for the Crown Prince.

4. The previous Empress's death was an accident. There was only familial affection between her and the Emperor, not romantic love. The female lead is the male lead's one and only love.

5. Former title: After the Crown Prince Broke Off Our Engagement, I Married the Emperor

Theme: Stand on your own two feet, work hard and persevere, reach the pinnacle of your career through your own efforts, and find a beautiful love.